Trump Announces US Has Conducted First Land Strike on Venezuela: ‘Major Explosion’ at Drug-Loading Docks

President Donald Trump on Monday said his administration conducted its first military strike against Venezuela on land — a move that escalates his crackdown on the country following a number of strikes against suspected drug-running boats at sea.

The president was asked about an explosion in Venezuela by a reporter while standing alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump confirmed it was because of an American strike.

“There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs,” Trump said. “They load the boats up with drugs, so we hit all the boats and we hit the area — it’s an implementation area. That’s where they implement. And that is no longer around.”

He then said he did not want to comment further on the strike.

The president’s announcement comes a few weeks after he warned Latin American “narco-terrorists” that he would start attacking them on land, not just at sea. Trump said that threat applies to countries other than Venezuela.

“If they come in through a certain country, or any country, or if we think they’re building mills for whether it’s fentanyl or cocaine — I hear Colombia, the country of Colombia, is making cocaine. They have cocaine manufacturing plants, okay? And they sell us their cocaine. We appreciate that very much,” Trump said sardonically in early December.

The president and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth have been criticized by many Democratic lawmakers for the strikes, as well as Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY).

Trump’s land strike in Venezuela also comes as he has made it clear he wants to oust the country’s leader Nicolás Maduro. 

The president announced a “COMPLETE BLOCKADE” against Venezuela in mid-December, saying the country had “stole” American assets. The U.S. has seized a few oil tankers off the coast of Venezuela since the blockade was put in place.

Watch above via CNN.

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